


Playdate

by deathbyjazzhands



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen, Grief, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 06:57:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8240150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathbyjazzhands/pseuds/deathbyjazzhands
Summary: This is a poem I wrote after my Dad passed away. It was written for my son who was too young to understand death and grief at the time. I framed it in the world of Doctor Who to help my son relate to it (he’s already quite the little Whovian), but the dark tone was intended for older kids. I hope that those dealing with grief at any age can find some comfort in the words of the madman in the blue box, for Death makes sobbing children of all of us.





	

There once was a boy

Laying in his bed

But sleep could not find him

For he was lost in his head

 

His throat was dry

His eyes were wet

His heart was broken

By the fiend called Death

 

The boy now felt empty

Not much more than a shell

If his eyes were still crying

It seemed he couldn’t tell

 

He had asked his Mommy,

“Where did Papa go when he died?"

But she just made something up

The boy could tell by her eyes

 

He had asked his Daddy,

“When can we see Papa again?”

But Daddy just got real quiet

And tried to listen to the world spin

 

So the boy tore his soul

And cried out for help

But if he expected an answer

You couldn’t tell by his yelp!

 

It was loud as a freight train

Shining blue, bright as dawn

Though to the well trained ear

It seemed the brakes were still on.

 

Out popped a man

All jaunty and grand

Examining everything

With a weird flashlight in hand.

 

He searched through the dresser

He tapped on the wall

“I can’t seem to find the device

That’s sending out that call.”

 

“Have you seen it, my boy?”

The strange man did ask

“What brought me to this place?

Who set me on this task?”

 

“Eek!” screamed the boy,

“Who are you and what is that?”

“ _Her_ name is the TARDIS,

So mind your manners when you chat.”

 

“As for me,” said the man,

“I’m the Doctor (without a dot).”

“I don’t understand, Doctor Who?!”

“You know, I get that a lot.”

 

“But to the matter at hand,”

said the man in the suit.

“I’ve come here to save someone,

But I’m not quite sure who…”

 

The Doctor looked round,

And saw the signs of the storm:

Tear stains on the pillow.

Face flushed and warm.

 

“It is you who cried out,

And tugged my ship’s ear.

These tears are the reason

that I’ve popped up ‘round here.”

 

“Your eyes have seen something

That no one’s explained

You’ve lost something very special,

And now you’re alone with your pain.”

 

“Well as long as I’m around

Alone simply will not do!”

And the Doctor sprang up and

disappeared into the box so blue.

 

A flash and a noise,

And the box was gone.

The boy sat staring,

Waiting for the dream to dawn.

 

So imagine his surprise

When the dream never stopped

And the box came back.

Well, the boy’s jaw dropped!

 

Out came the Doctor

All whistles and grins

And peeking out from behind the door

Was a nervous little friend.

 

“My name is James,

But call me Jimmy”

The boy said soft and low

“This doctor here says

That we’re related

But I don’t know how he knows.”

 

“He says you’ve lost your Papa

Well, I lost my Daddy too

He went to War and never came home

So I kinda know what you’re going through.”

 

The two boys hugged and cried together.

They laughed, they horsed, they played.

They lived more in those small, few hours

Than most people live in a hundred days.

 

The night burned down around them

As they loved like they were starved.

Finally the Doctor raised himself

As the time came to depart.

 

“I know that this was quite fantastic

But it’s time that we go home.

Keep your grandpa in your memory

And you’ll never be alone”

 

The Doctor stepped through the door,

But left it open for Jimmy.

Jimmy said, “I never did figure out,

Who are you from my family?”

 

“Ahem!” coughed the Doctor

Peeking out from inside the box,

“Some things are best left unsaid,

Unless you want a TIME PARADOX!”

 

And so the TARDIS slipped away,

Its ghastly shadow fading.

All that was left was the boy in his room,

With the rays of dawn invading..

 

He climbed to his pillow

He cradled his knees

His squeezed his blanket tightly.

He wasn’t okay

At least not today

But now he knew he would be.


End file.
